CLASSY SASSY MOODY
I can’t believe we’re almost to the July holiday weekend. This year has been slow and fast at the same time with so much unraveling but in this moment I’m thankful for warmer days filled with flowers & sunshine.
NYC has been re-opening but I have no plans of going out and mingling among others in public spaces;Covid still exists and we’ve been warned about a second wave. I’ve been occasionally visiting family and friends as well as going for strolls in my local area and this weekend I decided to do one of my first Summer shoots outside. I wanted a look that mixed casual, cute and vintage with a bit of edge so I opted for vintage jeans, a muscle t-shirt & chunky gold jewelry. This vintage stirrup pair reminds me of ones my Mom had back in the day and I really like showing off the stirrup detail with my retro-style mules. My gold jewelry (a nod to my Guyanese heritage) is a mix of modern & vintage pieces and I went super chunky with it. I used my retro Betty Boop TV lunch tin as a purse (a favorite style-trick of mine) but can we also chat about this cute muscle tee? I love the fun graphic and words and the 80s/90s vibes. It’s great for lounging at home as well.
I recently found a cute sleeved version inspired by the original Betty Boop and I think I may have to get one!
FUN FACT: The cartoon character Betty Boop, sound style was inspired by Esther Jones, a Black jazz singer from Harlem. Jones, also known as “Baby Esther” performed regularly in the Cotton Club during the 1920s with her trademark vocal style consisting of “boops” and other childlike sounds.
Helen Kane who is often said to be the inspiration behind Betty Boop’s character actually tried to sue the studio, claiming theft of her signature style but lost her case as it was uncovered that she copied her style from Esther Jones. Esther didn’t get much mainstream recognition but whenever you see an illustration of Betty Boop, let’s remember her!
Special thanks to my impromptu photographer who goes by the name “International Photographer” Lol, you know who you are! 😘❤️